Electric appliance



H. CATLIN.

ELECTRIC APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED MAR 26, 1920.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

2 SHkETS-HFET HIE l l W INVENTOR ATTORNEYS H. cATLrN." ELECTRIC APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- 26. I920.

nan-"H V I INVENTOR fzo/r CH TL m/ ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES HOYT CATLIN,

PATENT oericiz. I

TRIO COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

Application filed March 26, 1920. Serial No. 368,952.

To ally/11mm it may concern Be it known that 1, H01 1 CATLIN, a citizen of the United States of America, res din at Bridgeport, in the county of Fa1r-' fie d and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric appliances, and particularly to a terminal block and switch adapted for use with such portable heating units as electric grills or the like, the object of my invention being to provide a construction whichaflords a terminal block adapted to be mounted on the heating appliance and an independent switch base adapted to be assembled thereon. and to cooperate therewith to control. the current to the heat units of the appliance.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an electrical grill showing a switch mounted thereon in accordance wth my. invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan thereof;

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of a switch base.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of a connection block;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 55, Fig. 6

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6-6, Fig. 1;

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are diagrams of the switch connections.

While the presentinvention may be read ily adapted to heating appliances of various sorts, T have shown it embodied in an electric grillor toaster. The latter comprises, as usual, a top ring frame 10, with reticulated area 11, supported by standards 12 upon the base 13. Beneath the reticulated plate 11 are arranged the resistance units 14 and 15, here shown as concentric coils. At a suitable point, 16, the ring frame 10 1S apertured to receive an insulating block 17 having an arcuate shoulder 18 adapted to fit against the curved outer face of the ring. Upon the inner face of this block is mounted a group of terminals 19, 20, 21 and 22 adapted to make connection with the end leads 23, 24, 25 and 26 of the resistance coils 14 and 15. These terminals may he of any suitable character, but as here shown they comprise binding screws which take into tapped hollow rivets 27 pwsing through the block 17 and tapped at the outer face of the block. A strip 28 engaged beneath the heads of the rivets of the terminals 21 and '22 serve to electrically connect the latter.

While any suitable securing means may be provided for holding the block 17 in position in the ring 10, T have found its engagement with the leads 23 to 26 from the heater coils suflicient to anchor it until the cooperating switch has been mounted upon the appliance,

the switch serving to firmly hold the block in proper position.

To this end the switch base 29, which lies against the upright 12 in assembled position,

is provided with an extension 30 adapted to overlie the block 17, the flange 31 bearing against the ring 10 and being secured thereto by bolts 32. The lower face of the extension is recessed at 33 to snugly receive and hold the block. 33 are spring straps 34, 35 and 36, the ends of which register, in assembled position of the parts, with the tapped rivets 27 of the terminals 19, 20 and 22, to which they are heading to the recess secured by screws 37 passed through holes 38 in the base. straps are connected The opposite ends of the by bolts 39 with the switch terminals 40, 41 and 42.

The switch mechanism controlling the dis tributionof the current may be of any suitable type. T. have here indicated a rotary snap switch housed within the cover 43, but not shown in detail since it is of generally well known type, and to the details of which my invention does not relate" It suffices to point out that the wire mains 44 and 45 are respectively inals 41 and 46, and that the switch blades and terminals are so arranged as to effect coils v14 and 15 in such manner as to give high, medium and low heats (Figs. 7, 8 and connected to the switch tenthe distribution of the current through the 9), as well as to cut off current completely from the coils. The wires are led to the switch through an entrance channel formed in the lower face of the base, and branch channels 48 and 49 extending therefrom to the switch terminals '41 and 46 re spectively.

The construction I described has the adthe vantage of affording a connection block to which the heating units may be connected at the factory where the appliance is made, leaving the switch as an independent element to be applied by the installing electrician ing appliance,

switch is thus protected during transportation and is less likely to be m ured. The

connections from the grill wires to the'block are readily made, while the connections iron]. the switch base to the block are etlected without possibility of error, since the switch base will the block in only a single position. The mounting of the connection block 17 freely in the ring it) of the grill permits the block to be made of such size that it will adapt itself to the hole 16 in the flange 10 with some play, and thus accommodates self to slight variations, both in the size or" the block and of the hole. Similarly, the spring straps 34, 35 and 36 are suiliciently flexible to yield somewhat, and thus to accommodate themselves to variations in the base 29, or in the block 17, incidental to their manufacture. W here the block 17 and base 29 are made of porcelain, it is impossible avoid some variation due to unequal shrinkage in baking i prefer, however, to mold both block and base out of a suitable insulating composition, since greater accuracy of fit is thereby secured. The. support of the switch block by the screw bolts 32 is sutlicient, in view of the fact that the base of the switch rests against the standard 12, and is supported at this point as well.

Various modifications in detail of construction will readily occur to those skilled in the art, which do not depart from what I claim as my invention.

1 claiml. A switch for electric heating appliances comprising a connection block, terminals thereon for the resistance coils of the heating appliance, means for mounting said block on the heating appliance, in combination with an independent switch base, means for mounting the same upon said appliance in assembled relation to said terminal block, and means for establishing electrical connection between the terminals on the block and the terminals of the switch.

2. A switch for electric heating appliances comprising a connection block, terminals thereon for the resistance coils of the heatmeans for mounting said block on the heating appliance, in combination ing an extension adapted to overlie-and embrace said terminal blockystraps extending beneath said base, and means for connecting the same on the .one hand to the terminals of the switch, and on the'other hand to the terminals of the block.

3. A switch for electric heating appliances comprising a connection block, terminals with an independent switch base l1&V-.-

thereon tor the resistance coils of the heating appliance, means for moun -ng said blocl: on the heating appliance, in combination lth an independent switch base recessed on its lower face to accommodate said block, and means for connecting the terminals on the block to the terminals of the switch.

5. A switch "for electric heating appliances comprising a connection block, terminals thereon for the resistance coils of the heating appliance, means for mounting said block on the heating appliance, in combination with an independent switch base recessed on its lower face to accommodate the block, straps located on the lower face of said block and connected on the one hand to the switch terminals and extending, on the other hand, into register with the terminals on the block, and means passing through the switch base to establish electrical connection between 'said straps and the terminals on the bloclr.

6. A switch for electric heating appliances comprising a connection block, terminals thereon tor the resistance coils of the heating appliance, means for mounting said block on the heating appliance, in combination with an independent switch base recessed on its lower face to receive the block, means for electrically connecting the switch terminals with the terminals on the block, and means for securing the switch base to the heating appliance, said base serving to retain the terminal block in assembled position in the appliance. 7. In an electrical heating appliance, an apertured frame member, a terminal block mounted thereon and connected to the resistance units of the appliance, in combination with an independent switch base, means for mounting the same on said appliance in position overlying the terminal block, and means for establishing electrical connection between the terminals on said block and the terminals of "the switch.

in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HUYT CATLIN. 

